CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - “It’s a CycloneState!” IowaState athletics director Jamie Pollard opened the first night of the inaugural Cyclone Tailgate Tour with those four words.More than 1,000 IowaState fans swarmed a parking lot at the Lindale Mall in Cedar Rapids to hear from Pollard, head football coach Gene Chizik and head men’s basketball Greg McDermott. Each addressed the crowd in a large tent packed with Cyclone faithful on Wednesday night.

“You are part of the first ever, Cyclone Tailgate,” Pollard said. “This area means a lot to us. You mean a lot to us.”

The Cardinal and Gold entourage made its first stop at St. Luke’s Hospital to meet hospital staff and patients.Then it was on Lindale Mall.The event included free games for children, auctions and the opportunity to purchase Cyclone merchandize.

The evening was graced by a contingent of IowaState student-athletes, including quarterback Bret Meyer, linebacker Alvin “Ace” Bowen and wide receiver Todd Blythe. All-Big 12 volleyball player Erin Boeve also mingled with the crowd, which gathered in lines to meet and get autographs from the coaches and players.

The Cyclone Tailgate Tour continues Thursday in the Quad Cities. IowaState’s tour bus will visit GenesisWestMedicalCenter at 10:30 a.m. After lunch the tour will move on to St. Paul the ApostleSchool at 2:15 p.m.After a 3:30 p.m. stop at Friendly House, the group will head for LeClairePark for the evening program.The event begins at 5 p.m. with a short program at 6:30 p.m.